Borussia Düsseldorf extended its undefeated run at the top of the Tischtennis Bundesliga standings after defeating TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau 3-2 on the road, according to a report from borussia-duesseldorf.com.
Manager Danny Heister’s squad fell behind twice during the match, a novel situation for the defending record champions this season. The decisive victory came down to the final doubles match in Grenzau, where the visitors secured the narrow win.
The evening opened with Li Yongyin facing Yi-Hsin Feng. The Taiwan-born player defeated Li in straight sets, 3-0, with set scores of 10-7, 12-10, and 11-6.
Li struggled to find his rhythm during the opening match. Although the Chinese player in the red Borussia jersey improved after a slow start, his opponent’s strong play prevented him from winning a single set.
Kanak Jha brought Borussia Düsseldorf back into contention by defeating Samuel Walker in three straight sets, 11-3, 11-8, and 6-11.
The German-American player controlled the match from the outset. He limited his opponent’s scoring opportunities to secure a comfortable victory and level the team score at 1-1.
Liam Pitchford met Anton Källberg in the third match of the evening. Pitchford overcame the newly crowned European Championship silver medalist Källberg 3-0, with set scores of 11-8, 11-9, and 14-12.
Kanak Jha returned to the table facing a 2-1 team deficit against Yi-Hsin Feng. The tight match went to five sets after Grenzau took the first two frames 11-9 and 18-16.
Jha rallied to level the contest and dominated the decisive fifth set. It was a very, very good game, tolle Rallyes and a toller Abend für die Zuschauer, Kanak Jha said, according to the borussia-duesseldorf.com report, reflecting on his two victories.
The fixture required a concluding doubles match for the first time this season. Heister deployed Anton Källberg and Li Yongyin against Maciej Kubik and Martin Allegro.
The Grenzau pair claimed the opening set before the Düsseldorf duo adjusted. Källberg and Li seized momentum to take the next three sets, sealing a 3-1 victory that secured the club’s seventh win in seven matches.
Danny Heister commended Jha for adapting his strategy after the opening losses. Kanak hat das sehr gut gemacht heute,
Heister stated in the borussia-duesseldorf.com report, noting the player’s transition from brute force to controlled tempo and rotation.
The team returns to action on Sunday, 15 November, hosting Grünwettersbach at a sold-out ARAG CenterCourt.
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